清明节 – qingming jie – Tomb Sweeping Day

Though it has many variations, 清明节 is directly translated as ‘clear and bright festival.’ So it came as a surprise to my students when I asked them about brooms. “We burn paper and we bring food for our ancestors to eat,” one boy said with equanimity. The day is spent lighting firecrackers and having a picnic with their ancestors. It’s a bit like our memorial day in America, “…but with food instead of flowers,” said another student.

Last year my students wrote letters to American elementary school students about the customs of 清明节. This year I don’t have any specific plans for celebrating the festival, largely because it’s not “mine.” Many students have a look of shock when I say that I have no plans, unable to readily grasp the idea that different culture means different holidays. It’s even worse when they ask me about Easter and I say that I don’t celebrate. “But you’re American! The other teachers say that everyone celebrates…”

It’s interesting to see these festivals, experience them, and learn about how the celebrations and customs interact with culture, but they really won’t ever be “mine.” It makes them feel like distant routines, even with fireworks exploding around my house. This year I might practice my handwriting, carefully writing the name of the festival in simplified Chinese.